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Take Up Your Cross

In 2004,Hollywood actor Jim Cavaziel was offered a movie role by director Mel Gibson. He accepted the role and prayed about it.He was to act as Jesus in a movie titled “THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.”

However, few days after he accepted the role, Mel called him and advised he reject the role. In an interview with 700 club in later years, Jim would call it “one of the toughest decisions he ever made in his life.” In his words, “Mel called me and said, i hope you know what this means? hope you know it will cost you a lot.” After the movie was released, he never landed a major role in Hollywood again. Hollywood rejected him for playing the son of God.

Jim was 33 at the time he shot that movie. From 2004 till date, Jim has never made it through a major movie audition. However, Jim is happy as millions of people gave their lives to Christ after watching that movie.In his words,” we all have crosses to bear.”

Jesus had rightly said,”…take up your cross and follow me! “That was like an order, a command.”Don’t tell me about your persecution,

Don’t tell me about the reputation you’ve lost.

Don’t tell me about the rejection you are facing from your family because you are born again.

Don’t tell me about how people laugh at you or how your coursemates make mockery of you for being a believer.

Sister don’t tell me how your husband divorced you when you became born again or how your parents disowned you when you gave your life to Christ.

Just “take up your cross and follow me.”

Jim Cavaziel has borne his cross. A cross of rejection by his own industry. A cross of losing his job (he barely has roles in movies).

What crosses have we borne?

Paul had longed so much for his cross when he spoke of “the fellowship of his suffering.”

When people laugh at you because you go to church everyday, you are partaking in the fellowship of his suffering. When your coursemates call you names because you refuse to cheat in exams, ,you are partaking in the fellowship of his suffering. When you refuse bribery in office and you are queried by the manager of the company, you are partaking in the fellowship of his suffering.